The Box.
The box was old it was probably old as time itself some days it felt even older. Once it had a title and a responsibility the items it held were not only good but by human’s expectations considerably evil.
The box itself was plain and simple depending on who saw it, those with greed in their hearts saw gold diamonds and possession, ownership, control and power. Others saw it as a simple box wooden with a non- descript motif which made it almost transparent or even camouflaged.

It had status and sometimes the box was ok with the name linked to it other times it was embarrassed and felt ashamed. Ego had often tried to trick the box and he had fallen very badly once and all the troubles of the world had fallen and its only saving grace was the few, but dependable faith, hope, and charity and love.
Ego was always on the look out to cause trouble and if wasn’t for his little problem would have made havoc a lot more often.
Thank goodness for the good old Pub. However, that was another story and Ego had voiced his opinions or various occasions on the human race and how strange he found its folk.
The Box was feeling fragile and had lost its direction. For many years too many to either count or remember it had held it guilt and hid out of the eyes of the world. It felt responsible and had no idea how to change or even if being the box meant it had to right to change. Self-pity and loathing often entered into its head and then it stopped to change that though only to replace it with another reminding it’s self that it didn’t even have a head. Regardless of that Ego didn’t really have a body but that didn’t stop him taking on his own persona.

What The Box needed was some good old fashioned common sense and for someone to remind it that everything gets used by someone or something for something. Life’s issues and problems weren’t its fault; it was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and was used by all the wrong people.

Common Sense pointed out to the box that it was in control of its own destiny she went on to explain that even with the troubles of the world the human race has free will. The problem there was that half the time they did not use it.

She suggested to The Box that people hadn’t stopped using them just because at one moment in time it had held all the problems and trouble of the world. Boxes were useful they held things and kept them safe and out of harm’s way.

They also protected things of value and importance. They were strong or fragile depending on the use of it. They came in lots of different sizes shapes and colours and people kept them in cupboard, rooms and under beds. Some were locked up in areas of strange and important numbers and (51 came to mind.)
They held diamond, jewels, gold treasure as well as sand and rock. The Box itself was just a box it could have been any other box it just happened at that particular time The Box held what it held.
Common Sense told The Box, people use you for many different reasons and needs, the job of the box was to hold on to things for people to use and deal with when they had time to sit and work out what they wanted.

For many kept them hidden UN opened and kept in the dark not wanting to change or let go. The Fear itself, not or change but the Fear that it might change and the change would they like it? Or be happier NO! That meant making a decision it was easier to keep them shut.

Those who had no real feelings a part from self- indulgence and own needs, opened and closed boxes all day long without thought to anyone or anything. Even those who worked in factories normally made the boxes up flat so even they saw them as a container to put item in.

Others, who at times felt lonely or vulnerable had emotional boxes which once opened, gave feelings of failure. Yet common sense reminded The Box of its importance and its job to store things until they were ready to be open or peeped into. To acknowledge that everyone had secrets and issues that life had given them to hold and for some put those into boxes gave them the free time and energy to deal with life itself.

Pain and hurt affect everyone at some time many experience this on a daily basis. The Box gave Common Sense a place to help the humans store up its issue and worries not to shut them away indefinitely but just for a breathing space to be able to deal with other pressing issue and more often than not helping another with their box problems didn’t make some of their own seem so bad.
She went on to say everyone has dreams and ideas that boxes can also be used to put things toward these. A note, from a friend, photos of loved ones, trinkets from the past. Even concert tickets sheets of music and a tooth that the tooth fairy might have missed but still managed to leave you a shiny coin to remember it by.
Her last words to, The Box was don’t be so hard on yourself. Boxes are both good and bad and we need balance so for every box you have that contains concerns have another that holds ideas and fun laughter music love and passion. On the days you feel you can’t deal with the issues and problems of the past open up this box and remember everyone one gets Sh…………. You aren’t alone there are millions of boxes out there.
Be kind to yourself first and your find it easier to be kinder to others. Dedicated to my friends and to the people with boxes everywhere full of life’s ups and downs may there be more ups
Annielise 17th April 2018.